Mountainview - GospelGossip

21 John – Eyewitness

2007-04-17T05:21:00.001-07:00

By Richard

Throughout John we read of the “disciple that Jesus loved”. Right at the end of the Gospel we get to find out that this special disciple is the very same as the writer of the Gospel that bars his name, John. John writes, “This is the same disciple who was an eye witness to these things and wrote them down. We all know that the eyewitness account is reliable and accurate.” (John 20:24, the Message)

We need to take seriously the claims of John. He was an eyewitness and claims that he recorded what he saw and experienced and touched. He’s telling the truth and you can trust the words that he wrote.

NOTE: COMING SOON!
This completes thoughts on the Gospels developed by reading the Gospels in the New International Version (NIV) and Message version. I plan in the near future to read the Gospels in other versions and I hope to post further thoughts. Please take time before then to look through the archives of over 400 devotionals on the Gospels.

May they bless you richly as you get to know Jesus and seek to become like him.

21 John – Glorifying God

2007-04-16T05:19:00.000-07:00

By Richard

We often think of life as and opportunity to glorify God, but the risen Jesus spaks to Peter about his future death and hints we’re told, “at the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God.”

Have we ever thought of death and an opportunity to glorify God. He probably seems us to as the least glorious of events that we will have to face.

A colleague of mine recently died of cancer at 46. She had a tremendous faith and her death had a strange beauty about it (she spent the last few hours saying goodbye to her children and husband before he asked Jesus to come and take her home…and within minutes Jesus did just that). So “amazing” was her death that the nurses who attended at the time wanted to know more about the faith that she had.

Now many of us don’t have the luxury of knowing when we will die, but the truth is this, how we live today will affect the way that we glorify God in our death. In a sense all of life is a preparation for the moment of death. Death becomes for us the instant in which the thin curtain between this life and the next is pulled back and we see the greater realities of heaven and the lesser realities of our earthly life. With God will to examine our years of life on earth – were they lived by faith (directed by our anticipation of meeting God), or were they lived by “physical” (focused on gaining the world and little emphasis on God).

The reality is that we will all die. Start working towards that moment when you will glorify God in your death.

20 John – John’s Gospel

2007-04-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

By Richard

John tells us that he wrote his Gospel that we might believe that Jesus is the Messiah and by believing have real and eternal life in the way that he personally revealed it.

John’s purpose for writing his Gospel is clearly laid out. The response is left to us. Will we believe and have life in Jesus or will allow presuppositions, like doubts about the supernatural, to cut us off from the greatest message ever. The God who made everything has fully revealed himself through Jesus and wants an eternally ongoing friendship with us, if we will just believe that Jesus is the one.

19 John – Jesus, the King

2007-04-08T11:12:00.000-07:00

By Richard

We read in John 19 that Pilate wrote a sign and placed it above Jesus that read in Aramaic, Latin and Greek the following words:

JESUS THE NAZARENE
THE KING OF THE JEWS

Some of the Jews, reading the sign, asked for it to be changed to the words, “this man said, ‘I am the King of the Jews!’” But, Pilate refuses with the words, “What I have written, I’ve written!”

This is one of those scenes where I believe there is more going on than meets the eye. I think that we often read over it like it’s a miscellaneous historical fact. But, reading it today, it struck me that Pilate may be unwittingly declaring a prophetic truth, a bit like Ciaphas, who doesn’t realise that he is prophesying when he says that it is better for one man to die for the nation.

The strength of reaction of the Jews should alert us to the fact that even in Jesus’ death there is a declaration that this IS the King of the Jews, The Messiah. Pilate might not be aware but he’s telling the world that Jesus IS the Messiah. He’s telling you that Jesus is the Messiah!

19 John – Life is a Gift

2007-04-07T10:12:00.000-07:00

By Richard

Jesus says to Pilate these strong words, “You haven’t a shred of authority over me except what has been given you from heaven!” (John 19:11, the Message)

This is a reminder that our whole life, beginning to end, is a gift from God. We are not the “owners” of our life, but the “stewards” of it. Let’s keep a Christ-centred perspective to our life.

18 John – Truth

2007-04-06T11:10:00.000-07:00

By Richard

In John 18 truth plays an important part in the arrest and trial of Jesus. He has told the Chief priests that he has been speaking the “plain truth” and that everyone that has an inkling for truth recognises Jesus.

Truth is so key to our understanding of Jesus that I’ll be honest with you. We will have a hard time trusting our lives on earth and eternity to Jesus if we don’t really accept half of what Jesus said and did! Truth is foundational.

17 John - Sanctified by Truth

2007-04-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

By Richard

Recently I received an e-mail from a friend to say that she’d finished reading the Gospels and she was asking what she should read next. That was music to my ears:)

We live at a juncture of history when people have grown cold in their love for Scripture. The bible describes itself as “food”. How many of us are “starving”? Jesus reminds us that God’s word is truth that helps us to become holy (like Jesus). He prays for his followers in this way. “Make them [us] holy – consecrated with the truth, Your word is consecrating truth” (John 17:13-19, TM)

Will we commit to allowing God’s truth to dwell in us and make us holy?

17 John – God Rejecting World

2007-04-04T10:28:00.000-07:00

By Richard

Just a short blog! Jesus prays for the disciples in a, “God-rejecting world” (from John 17: 6-12).

It’s sometimes good to remind ourselves that as a whole the world is God-rejecting. We don’t have an easy task ahead of us as we seek to be God’s witnesses in our community through word and deed.

17 John – Glorifying God

2007-04-03T10:01:00.000-07:00

By Richard

Jesus Said, “I have Glorified [God} on earth by completing down to the last detail what [he] assigned me to do.” (Parts, John 17:1-5, the Message)

How do we glorify God? At least one way is that we spend time discovering what God has called us to do and then begin fulfilling the work that God has assigned us down to the last detail.

16 John – The Holy Spirit

2007-04-02T10:59:00.000-07:00

By Richard

Jesus promises us that when he returns to have he will send the Holy Spirit, “the friend”. The Spirit’s task will be to “honour Jesus” and he will be at work to convict the world that their “Refusal to believe in [Jesus] is their basic sin.”

When we look at the words of Jesus in John 16 there is an undeniable centrality to Jesus. The Father has given “everything” to Jesus. The Holy Spirit’s job is Christ-centred.

I think that one of the ways that we can tell the Holy Spirit’s at work in our lives, or in the church community, is that we have this growing Christ-centred focus. EVERYTHING builds off of Jesus.

15 John – Joined to Jesus

2007-04-01T10:56:00.000-07:00

by Richard

John 15 is all about being joined to Jesus. John also talks about being at home with Jesus. Jesus wants us to be joined to him in life and in death.

In life: His teaching must become the teachings that we live by. His family (the local church) must become our family. We are called to show a “Jesus kind of love” to others. Our prayer life needs to be bathed in the knowledge of Jesus so that our prayers correspond with his desires and activities. We must be willing to be shaped and pruned by the master gardener.

In death: There’s also the reality in this passage that if we are united with Jesus in life we will sometimes be called on to suffer hatred and maybe even death for his name. For, if they hated and killed Jesus and he’s living within us, how can we expect any different?

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14 John – Loving Jesus

2007-03-31T10:10:00.000-07:00

By Richard

In John 14: 23 & 24, loving Jesus means following his teaching. Which I guess means putting ourselves in a place where we can learn and practice his teaching. Reading the bible and hearing the preaching of the word (where we can learn his teaching) and being part of a Christ-centred church community (where we can practice his teaching) are important ways that we can love Jesus.

14 John - Answered prayer

2007-03-30T12:08:00.000-07:00

By Richard

There’s a great truth to answered prayer found in John 14. Jesus says that we don’t need more “faith”, but simply this, “From now on” says Jesus, "Whatever you request along the lines of who I am and what I’m doing, I’ll do it!” (John 14: 11-14).

The key to answered prayer is to twofold. Get to know Jesus and request things in prayer that are in line with who Jesus is. Secondly, try to discover what Jesus is doing in and around you and join with what he’s doing in prayer. Quite simple! Very profound!

14 John – The Way the Truth and the Life

2007-03-29T11:07:00.000-07:00

By Richard

Jesus makes this amazing claim that he is the way, the truth and the life. People get upset about the exclusiveness of the claim. “Don’t all roads lead to God” they exclaim. Maybe! But, Jesus goes on to tell the disciples that if they have seen Jesus they’ve seen God. Jesus equals God. When it comes to God, Jesus is both the journey and the destination. Jesus doesn’t claim to be solely a prophet or a good teacher. He says that he is God. If Jesus is God then he can make the exclusive claim. In addition, if all religions somehow lead towards God then the will, eventually, lead to Jesus.

14 John – Room for You

2007-03-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

By Richard

John 14 starts with this amazing truth. Jesus tells his disciples that there are plenty of rooms in God’s house. Not only are there plenty of rooms, we are told that Jesus is going to heaven in order to get our rooms ready and will one day return and take us home. I know it’s a bit clichéd, but it’s worth enjoying this thought. I’ve heard it said that God took 6 days to make the universe - so just imagine how great heaven will be as Jesus has been getting it ready for us for the last 2000 years. I for one am looking forward to seeing my room!

13 John – Recognising a Christian

2007-03-27T12:59:00.000-07:00

By Richard

How we recognise a follower of Christ. Simple, by the way (s)he loves other believers.

John 13: 35-35 says this, “Let me give you a new command. Love one another. In the same way I have loved you love one another. This is how everyone recognises that you are my disciples – when they see the love that you have for each other.”

It’s also true that this is one command from Jesus that you cannot fulfil outside of being part of the church community. It is impossible to love if you don’t have a community to love.

13 John – Please Note

2007-03-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

By Richard

Jesus has a “please note” in John 13: 20. He says, “Make sure that you get this right: Receiving someone I send is the same as receiving me, just as receiving me is the same as receiving the one who sent me.” (the Message).

Jesus tells us to take note. There’s something important being said here. Working backwards! Jesus tells his disciples that if they receive Jesus they receive God. There is a unity between Jesus and God. But Jesus tells us to note that if we receive his messengers we receive Jesus. In the immediate context the Apostles became his messengers. They were the “sent ones” of Jesus and we need to take their words seriously as Jesus is saying they are speaking his very words.

13 John – How to be a good Christian

2007-03-25T11:56:00.000-07:00

By Richard

What a complicated set of rules we’ve made out of the idea surrounding being a good Christian. In reality Jesus teaches us a simple yet profound truth in John 13. Before the meal Jesus, the master of the universe, becomes the “slave” and washes the feet of his disciples (foot washing was only reserved for the lowest servant in a household). He does this to show the full extent of his love and establish a precedent for servant leadership. J esus wants to leave the disciples with a simple principle for living. “What I’ve done, you do…If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it – and live a blessed life” (Parts John 13: 12-17, the Message).

The simple principle for being a good Christian is this; get to know Jesus and copy him. When we do we’ll experience a blessed life. Simple to understand, but something challenging and profound to practice!

12 John - God’s approval

2007-03-24T11:39:00.000-07:00

By Richard

We have this sad commentary in John 12: 42-43 that in fact many of the Jewish leaders did believe in Jesus, but because they were afraid of being thrown out of the synagogues and the temple they did not come out into the open about it. John writes, “When push came to shove they cared more for human approval than for God’s glory.”

I think that we’ll be tested from time to time as to whether God’s glory or human approval is more important. It’s more challenging than we might expect, as it breaks us open and reveals what we are truly like on the inside.

12 John - Light shining through

2007-03-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

By Richard

Jesus wants us to believe that he is the light of the world. He wants us to receive his light. He wants his light to shine through us to the world around us. God wants our lives to be alight with Jesus. Our world needs light and Jesus needs people who will deeply welcome his light so that they can brightly shine out Jesus to the world.

12 John – Follow Jesus

2007-03-22T10:04:00.000-07:00

By Richard

A Christian is a Christ follower (literally). Jesus says in John 12: 26 that he wants followers who’ll be ready, at any minute, to serve him. But in order to serve him, at a moments notice, we have to be, “where [he’s] at”. Close enough to hear his voice. Ready enough to respond immediately.

12 John – Reckless Love

2007-03-21T11:49:00.000-07:00

By Richard

I love the way that the Message phrases John 12: 22-25. Jesus speaks about how a grain of wheat must fall into the ground and die in order for it to germinate, grow, and produce a harvest many times over. Jesus says that if we hold onto life we’ll loose it, but if we die to self we’ll gain life eternal. Jesus says, “If you let [life] go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal.” (John 12: 25).

I am inspired by the idea of “reckless love”. It carries the idea of being generous and unrelenting in our love for God and others. Our world badly needs some “reckless” lovers.

12 John – The Lamb is chosen

2007-03-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

By Richard

In understanding triumphal entry into Jerusalem, it’s helpful to set a date for Christ’s death.

The Jewish calendar is not the same as the western calendar. It follows a lunar cycle and has 360 days in the year and the Passover is not always on the same day. Aligning the western and Jewish calendar the Passover (15 Nissan) starts on a Friday in AD 30, AD 33. The start of the Passover on Friday 3rd April AD 33 is most widely accepted as the date for Christ’s death.

John tells us that Jesus went to Bethany 6 days before the Passover and the following day entered Jerusalem on a donkey. Jesus entered Jerusalem 5 days before the Passover. Which is also 10 Nissan (30 Mar) the day that the Passover lambs are chosen. The Lamb of God is symbolically chosen for his death as he enters Jerusalem on a donkey.

Daniel Prophecies, in Daniel 9, that the Messiah would enter Jerusalem 69 x 7 Jewish years (that’s 173.855 days) after the edict by Artaxerxes to restore and rebuild Jerusalem which took place on Nissan 1, 444 BC. If you crunch the numbers needed to align it with a western calendar it ends up being the 30 Mar, AD 33. Added to this the people sing “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”. They’re singing Psalm 118, a song which the Jews traditionally sung at the Passover, but it’s also a Messianic Psalm that talks about the death and resurrection of the Messiah.

There's a lot going on as Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey.

11 John - Resurrection Sandwich

2007-03-19T11:23:00.000-07:00

By Richard

If you read John’s Gospel there is a resurrection sandwich. The resurrection of Lazarus becomes the deciding factor among the envious religious leaders to put Jesus to death. From the raising of Lazarus the ball starts rolling, faster and faster, towards the cross. Jesus dies, is buried and 3 days later is raised to life. The death and burial of Jesus is sandwiched between these two resurrections.

11 John - Life beyond Death

2007-03-18T11:29:00.000-07:00

By Richard

Writing the last blog it suddenly struck me that Lazarus is proof that we don’t die (our bodies just stop living). I’ve tended to focus on Jesus and his declaration to be the “resurrection and the life.” But, Jesus is also demonstrating that if we are friends with him and follow him we will continue to live even though we die (from John 11:25).

Lazarus’ body was dead for four days, but he comes back to life fully restored. One of the implications from his resurrection is that while his body was dead he was still living somewhere else. I’d love to have been at Bethany and asked Lazarus what had been up during the 4 days that his body was rotting in the grave.

11 John – The Lazarus Factor

2007-03-17T11:50:00.000-07:00

The Lazarus Factor

There’s definiteness to Jesus’ actions in John 11. He’s informed that his dear friend Lazarus is gravely ill (no pun intended). We are told that from the disciples perspective Jesus seems to “waste time” and finally arrives at Bethany way late, after Lazarus has been dead for four days. They are afraid to open the tomb because of the stench.

He’s waiting until his friend is stiff from rigor mortis. He’s waiting until Lazarus is getting comfortabletelling stories in heaven. He’s waiting until the onlookers think “impossible.” He’s waiting until he can prove, beyond doubt, that he is, “the Resurrection and the life”. He’s waiting until we can be convinced that if we believes in him will live, even though we die. He’s deliberately waiting to resurrect Lazarus, for a moment when we will see beyond doubt, and believe, and put our faith in him.

Will you believe Jesus and live?

10 John - Believing the Old Testament

2007-03-16T11:41:00.000-07:00

By Richard

I am amazed at how many so called Christ followers don’t believe the Old Testament (or much of it). Jesus quotes plentifully from the OT and talks about many of the characters and places as if they were real. Then in John 10:34 we have this amazing statement. Jesus tells the crowds that, “Scripture doesn’t lie!” (The Message)

Jesus has actually brought us to one of those CS Lewis junctions of choice. He’s either right or he’s wrong. If Jesus is right then we need to humble ourselves before God’s word and take the scriptures very seriously. If he is not right we must decide whether he’s a liar (which would not make him a Lord worth following) or misinformed (in which case we’d need to ask ourselves if he’s really the God he claims to be).

He’s backed us into a corner and our view of Scripture reveals what we think about Jesus. If Scripture is all true we must accept Jesus as God. If we believe that it’s not true then perhaps we should stop following this liar or madman or worse.

10 John – The Good Shepherd

2007-03-15T11:15:00.000-07:00

By Richard

This is the well known passage about Jesus being the Good Shepherd. In its familiarity we must be careful not to miss some important points that Jesus is trying to make.

1. He’s the Good Shepherd:

The phrase “I am the Good Shepherd” is repeated twice, indicating emphasis. Jesus explains that in the goodness of his leading he is prepared to put our needs before his own and is willing to sacrifice himself for our good. We need to absorb the huge truth that Jesus puts us before himself. He’s on our side. He’s more than willing to die for us. We tend to view ourselves as being in “conflict” with God. I’m a sinner and God is highly displeased with me, and in quite a sulk about it too. My job is somehow to live this amazingly perfect life and then, just maybe, God will love me. NO, Jesus loves me as I am, a silly and often brainless sheep with a tendency to wander off. He longs to lead me with his gentle and cheerful voice. His focus is not on our weakness but on our safety and health. What a radically different picture of God than the one we normally have.

2. He’s the gate:

Jesus also says that he’s the gate to eternal life. He’s the way through which we gain access to the safety of the sheepfold. This is one of those passages that should cause us to rethink our ideas on hell. We’re invited to hear Christ’s voice, follow him and enter into the safety of the sheepfold. Hell is staying where we are. Out in the cold. Out in the open. Vulnerable to the “Destroyer and thief” that will destroy all those who are not safely held by God.

Jesus’ strong point to the Jews is that this amazing offer of salvation was there for the taking, but they must choose to enter God’s kingdom or stay alone in the field. But the choice is not neutral. Christ has shown us by word and action that hs is God. He defeated the dark wolf on the cross. He lovingly and gently calls, but never demands that we come.

How tragic, how great the destruction, for those who fail to hear his voice and follow the Good Shepherd through the gate and into the safely of the sheepfold.

09 John - Looking Forward

2007-03-14T11:01:00.000-07:00

By Richard

In John 9, Jesus and his disciples come across a man born blind from birth. The debate among the disciples becomes what sin did he, or his parents, commit to cause this to happen. Jesus points them in a totally different direction. Don’t look back for who to blame, “Look instead for what God can do!” (John 9:3, the Message). In the story the blind man is healed and a large portion of John 9 is given over to his profound testimony and bold responses before the religious leaders, who were tearing him and his family apart. Out of his blindness overflows the glory of God.

There is a guiding principle here. Even when our history may have hurt us we still need to keep a strong forward focus, looking ahead for what God can do. A friend of mine who had anorexia and ended up in hospital prayed this simple prayer every day, "God don't waste my sorrows." She ended up writing a book called Puppet on a String about her faith and experience with an eating disorder. She has helped many common sufferers find faith in Jesus and healing from their condition. Out of her sorrows overflowed the glory of God.

Let's keep looking forward for what God is and can do!

08 John - Careful What You Believe

2007-03-13T11:39:00.000-07:00

By Richard

In John 8, the crowd makes a big deal about the fact that they are “Abraham’s children.” Jesus point’s out, however, that if they really were his children they would accept him. They are, in fact, children of the Devil, who, “Fills the world with his lies.” (from John 8: 42-47, the Message)

Jesus is telling us that we don’t live in a neutral world. The Devil is filling up the world with lies. From the context, in John 8, anything that does not accept that Jesus is God is one of these lies that are filling the earth

08 John - Beyond the Horizon

2007-03-12T11:57:00.000-07:00

By Richard

In John 8, Jesus accuses the crowd of being too, “tied down to the mundane… [They] live in terms of what they can see and touch.” Jesus on the other hand is, “in touch with what is beyond their horizons.”

This is actually a big challenge for us because we tend to focus on what we can see and touch. Yet the bible describes those with faith as people who focus on a invisible and far greater reality - a God who exists beyond the horizons of our physical world.

07 John – The Ultimate Challenge

2007-03-11T11:55:00.000-07:00

By Richard

I find these words of Jesus challenging because they strike at the core of who we are. “A person making things up tries to make himself look good. But someone trying to honour the one who sent him sticks to the facts and doesn’t tamper with reality.” (John 7: 16-19, the Message)

Jesus leaves his followers with a profound challenge. Are we ultimately seeking to honour Christ or ourselves?

07 John – Jesus Causes a Reaction

2007-03-10T11:21:00.000-08:00

By Richard

Anne Rice, the author of numerous novels about vampires eventually ended up becoming a Christ follower. One of the things that convinced her of Jesus reality was that as she researched all she could about Jesus over several years she discovered that many scholars treated Jesus with a distain that was unparalleled in any other historical person. Many made snide and unfair comments about Jesus. The fact that Jesus caused a reaction helped her believe that he was who he said he was.

Jesus tells his brothers, “The world has nothing against you, but it’s up in arms against me. It’s against me because I expose the evil behind its pretensions.” (John 7: 6-8, the Message).

Jesus is clear. He’s under no illusion. He causes a reaction.

06 John - Stop Looking and Start Cooking

2007-03-09T10:10:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In John 6 we have some strong and unusual words from Jesus. He speaks to the crowds about eating and drinking his flesh and blood. He says, “My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink”. Obviously some were really confused as John tells us that many of his disciples found this a “tough teaching to swallow” and deserted Jesus.

But this is the point that Jesus is trying to make. “By eating my flesh and drinking my blood you enter into me and I into you.” (John 6: 53-58, the Message)

In updated language Jesus is sort of saying this.

When he says eat my flesh! I think he’s saying that we should stop looking at the glossy pictures in recipe books. We should stop simply sniffing heavenly aromas. Jesus is saying we should eat the meal. We should feed on Jesus. We should allow his life and ours to become one. We should welcome Jesus into the very core of our being. His life, like real, food should become the source of energy and nutrition for our very DNA.

When he says drink my blood! I think he’s saying that we should not be like a wine taster that examines the colour and aroma and takes a sip only to spit it out again. Jesus wants us to drink him. He wants to be like wine that warms our heart. He wants to be like alcohol that goes to our head. He wants to make us a little tipsy in our relationship with him. Like wine he wants to give us joy.

He’s saying to us that when we come to read our bible or attend a Mountainview gathering that he doesn’t want us to take a little nibble or a tiny sip that we spit out on the floor during the time of refreshments. He doesn’t want us suffer a spiritual eating disorder. He doesn’t want us to go on a low calorie spiritual diet. He wants us to be big eaters and heavy drinkers when it comes to Jesus. Jesus wants his life to become one with our life, every day of the week, every hour of the day, every minute of the hour, every second of the minute. He wants his life and our life to become one, truly one.

06 John - The Pattern of Salvation

2007-03-08T10:22:00.000-08:00

By Richard

Jesus says to the crowds, “Anyone who sees the son and trusts who he is and what he does and then aligns himself with will enter real and eternal life. My part is to put them on their feet, alive and whole at the completion of time.” (John 6: 40, the Message)

There is a pattern to salvation here

1. We have to see Jesus

2. We have to trust Jesus (who he is and what he does)

3. We have to align ourselves with Jesus (deny ourselves and follow him)

4. Allow Jesus to complete our faith (put us on our feet)

5. The goal - to be alive and whole in Christ.

Salvation is clearly a broader concept in the NT It includes both a point and a process. Seeing and trusting in Jesus is just the first step. There is an aligning of our lives with Jesus and an invitation for Jesus to complete our salvation. Hebrews 12 says that Jesus is the author and perfector of our faith.

Will we press into this broader picture of salvation?

06 John - The Triple Whammy

2007-03-07T10:51:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In John 6: 16-21 we find the disciples out in the middle of the lake. We are told they were, “About three or four miles out”. It had gotten dark and the wind had come up. Jesus comes walking on the water and climbs into the boat. Now we normally focus on the miracle of walking on the water, but there are actually 2 more miracles. We read that, “In no time they reached land, the exact spot where they were headed.” (John 6: 21, the Message).

John is communicating some extra mysteries here. The boat reached land in an unusually quick time and, even though it was dark, they hit land at exactly the right spot. We must not read our modern prejudices into the story. These were fishermen who knew the lake like the back of their hand. Lake Galilee is 7 miles wide and 13 miles long – they are telling us that they were bang in the middle of the lake.

If you have ever sailed at night, even with the twinkle of lights from houses and flashes from beacons it’s still disorientating and hard to know exactly where you are. I used to live up country in Africa and there were times we lived without electricity. Believe me, without lights of any kind, and especially when there was no moon, it was sometimes so dark you could not even see your hand in front of your face. The disciples are telling us that in the blackness of first century Palestine, in the middle of the lake, they hit land “immediately” and “just at the right spot”.

These verses speak against the anti-super-naturalists who seek to offer ration explanations – like Jesus walked on shallow part of the lake, or that the lake was frozen. Walking on water was just part of their surprise. Four miles covered in an instant. Hitting their destination at exactly the right spot in the darkness of night. To the disciples it was a triple whammy of miracles.

06 John – Waste Not

2007-03-06T10:49:00.000-08:00

By Richard

At the end of the feeding of the 5000 Jesus asks his disciples to, “Gather up the leftovers so nothing is wasted.” (John 6: 12, the Message). Someone was telling me recently that something like 25% of all the food sold in the UK is wasted. Not only did it shock me, I think a verse like this reminds us that careful management of our resources, to avoid waste, is part of the biblical teaching. Let’s be careful about using our resources wisely.

06 John – Faith Stretching:

2007-03-05T07:30:00.000-08:00

By Richard

Jesus asked Philip to think up a plan to feed a crowd of 5000 men. We read that he asked this deliberately so that he could stretch Phillips faith. That got me thinking. Am I putting myself in a place that stretches my faith? Am I putting the people I lead in a place that stretches their faith?

05 John - Judgement

2007-03-04T11:06:00.000-08:00

By Richard

I’d never really though of judgement this way, but at the end of John 5 Jesus says something very interesting. Jesus basically says to the crowd. “I’m not even going to have to judge because you’ll judge yourself. The fact that you don’t believe in me proves that you don’t take God’s word as seriously as you claim. “

So perhaps in a way Jesus doesn’t become so much a judge as a mirror that shows us what we are really like. Salvation is asking God to show us what we are like and crying save me from myself. Judgement is God showing us what we are really like and us crying “Judge me!”

05 John – Jesus is God

2007-03-03T10:14:00.000-08:00

By Richrd

Jesus reminds the crowds in John 5: 34-38 that he did not come to earth to get the popularity vote. No, he is God no matter what people think. He gives 4 pieces of evidence to his claim.

The Tasks:

“As I go about completing them they confirm that the Father, in fact, sent me”. The tasks include the healing of a crippled man (this has just happened and was one of the reasons that Jesus was addressing the crowd.). The miracles confirm that Jesus is God and are not option extras for those believers who have the guts to believe in the supernatural.

John the Baptist:

“A torch blazing and bright.” John was the promised messenger that would prepare the way for God.

The Voice:

God audibly spoke from heaven at Jesus’ Baptism, confirming that Jesus was his son. Jesus said to the crowd. “The Father confirmed me. And you missed it. You never heard his voice.” Many people are too busy thinking about x,y and z to stop and hear God’s voice.

The scriptures:

Jesus reminds the people that if they will just look carefully at the Old Testament they will find that it is all about Jesus. He says the, “Scriptures are all about me!”

In some ways this becomes an evangelism strategy for us:

1. Live lives that bear witness to Jesus (actions that affirm Jesus is God)

2. Proclaim the Gospel (like John the Baptist we a messengers preparing the way for God

3. Show people from Scriptures the reality of Jesus (The Old and New testament is all about Jesus)

4. Ask people to quieten their hearts long enough to hear the voice of God. (the voice that tells us Jesus in the one)

05 John - Working 24-7

2007-03-02T10:13:00.000-08:00

By Richard

Jesus reminds the religious leaders, who were attacking him for healing on the Sabbath that God, “My father is working straight through, even on the Sabbath. So am I.” (John 5:17, the Message).

Not only does Jesus clearly tells us that God is always at work, but he’s clearly putting himself on par with God. The Jews understood this as we read they tried to kill him. Apart from it hinting at Jesus divinity, these verses struck a chord with me that rest is something that reminds us that God is God and we are not.

05 John - Jesus Knows

2007-03-01T02:11:00.000-08:00

By Richard

At the beginning of John 5 there is a man who has been an invalid for 38 years. John tells us that Jesus, “Knew how long he’d been there!” (John 5:6, the Message).

Our lives may not be so easy, but let’s take comfort from the fact that Jesus knows and cares deeply. Perhaps we’ve been called to patiently endure over the years, waiting for the time when our healing will glorify Jesus. Perhaps our day is coming soon when Jesus says to us, “I knew and I cared, now be well!”

04 John - Faith

2007-02-28T10:10:00.000-08:00

By Richard

Back in Cana a man comes to Jesus for help and Jesus says to him, “Unless you people are dazzled by a miracle you refuse to believe.” (John 4:48, The Message). We read that the man would not stop asking Jesus for help. So Jesus tells him, “Go home. Your son lives!” We are told, “The man believed the bare bone word that Jesus spoke and headed home.”

The man believed before he saw the miracle. Maybe this is the correct order for faith. Perhaps faith is God asking us to trust him before we see “the miracle”.

Later when the man finds his son well and his healing corresponds to the exact moment when the words of Jesus were spoken we read that his faith is bolstered and he and his family believe.

04 John - Keep going

2007-02-27T10:08:00.000-08:00

By Richard

Jesus was kept going by a strong sense of purpose. He was on earth to obey the will of God and complete the task that God had set before him. So strong was this purpose that Jesus describes it like, “Food that keeps him going.” (John 4:34)

It is going to be hard to follow Christ and mature in our faith unless we discover his, purpose, destiny and calling for our lives - something more compelling than food.

04 John - Simple Honesty

2007-02-26T10:06:00.000-08:00

By Richard

How should we approach God? Jesus says it very clearly. God does not want pomp and ceremony. “The kind of people that the Father is looking for [are] those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship” (John 4:23, The Message). Will you be yourself before God today?

Note: I find it so encouraging to hear on a rather frequent basis around Mountainview that one of the things that people like about our church is that they can be themselves. Offering people a chance to be real and down-to-earth means that we are onto a winner when it comes to matters of faith and relating to God.

04 John - Stand Down

2007-02-25T10:30:00.000-08:00

By Richard

There’s a beautiful picture of Jesus presented in John 4. The people were starting to keep a tally of the baptisms that Jesus (actually his disciples) and John the Baptist were performing. It was becoming something of local gossip with scores printed in the Hello magazine at the hairdressers. Bets were being placed as to who would win the popularity contest. We know from John’s words that Jesus is by far the greatest one – he’s come from God’s presence and is God himself. Yet, Jesus quickly stands down and leaves the area.

It hit me so very strongly as I read the story; God is willing to stand down and let others succeed. Our God is a humble God. What an example for Christian leadership that is still so much of a dog-eat-dog type. What a challenge to my leadership. Am I truly able to let others succeed – even when my leadership may be greater?

03 John - Competition

2007-02-24T10:00:00.000-08:00

By Richard

I love John 3: 22-36. Jesus and John the Baptist are both baptising people along the Jordan. John’s disciples point out to John that they are beginning to seriously lose out to the competition. “He’s [speaking about Jesus] competing with us. He’s baptising too and everyone is going to him instead of us.” (John 3: 26, The Message)

John’s response is fantastic. He points out that there is no such thing as spiritual competition. All true spiritual success comes from God. God is not competing with God, but simultaneously working in different people. It’s all happening by Jesus and for Jesus. Jesus needs to become our central vision. Spiritual success, wherever it is happening and whoever it’s happening through, should give us great joy. So often our jealousies get in the way and hinder the work of God. Rather, we should be like John who’s happy for the sake of Christ to slip out of the way, off to the side-lines, and let Jesus work.

03 John - Relaxed

2007-02-23T08:34:00.000-08:00

By Richard

Jesus has less than 3 years to complete his ministry. Yet we find that Jesus went to the Judean countryside, “And relaxed with his disciples there!” (John 3: 22).

Since the industrial revolution the general theme of life is that we live to work.
We are manic about it! But then, there is Jesus, the most important mission in the entire history of the universe and little time to accomplish his task! There he is relaxing in the Judean countryside with his disciples: picking daisies, enjoying long siestas, playing football and sharing jokes around campfires. Unhurried in his mission and able to be very present with his friends!

03 John - Spiritual Crisis

2007-02-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

By Richard

Have you ever wondered why Jesus causes such a strong reaction? Jesus came into the world calling us to love even our enemies, to show humility, to help the poor and needy, to live generous lives, etc. It all seems good and applaudable to me, so why does he cause such a strong reaction?

Jesus is clearly under no illusions that he will case a reaction. He says to Nicodemus, “This is the crisis we are in: God-light streamed into the world [in Jesus], but men and women everywhere ran for darkness. They went for the darkness because they are not really interested in pleasing God.” (John 3: 19-21, the Message)

The picture reminds me of someone turning on a light in a pantry full of mice. The mice are initially blinded by the light but within seconds they are making a quick dash for the safely of darkness. Jesus causes a reaction not because he is misunderstood, but because it’s he’s a light from God that does reveal a lot about what is in our hearts.

03 John - Spiritual Birth:

2007-02-21T10:39:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In a well-known story Nicodemus, a prominent leader of the Jews, asks Jesus secretly about his ministry. Jesus says that it all comes down to spiritual rebirth. The message version has a great paragraph on spiritual rebirth. “Unless a person submits to this original creation, the wind-hovering-over-the-water creation, the invisible moving the visible, a baptism of New Life, it’s not possible to enter God’s kingdom.” (John 3: 5, the Message).

The picture comes from Genesis. The Holy Spirit is hovering over the formless waters of creation. The Spirit breathes life and direction into the creation. In the same way our rebirth is a wilful submission to the invisible Spirit of God. It’s an acknowledgement of our need for the greater power of the invisible God to create us. It’s an invitation to God to save us into his Kingdom, to shape us, to form us as people of his Kingdom, and to send us out to proclaim to others the news of the kingdom. Ultimately rebirth is a submission to the invisible Christ and an invitation through the power of his Holy Spirit to re-create us into his likeness (even though the process may involve pain).

Will you submit today and allow Christ to do a new work of creation in your life?

02 John - Trustworthiness

2007-02-20T10:37:00.000-08:00

By Richard

At the end of John 2 we find that many people “trusted” Jesus. But we are told that Jesus did not trust people because he could see right through them. Perhaps this is a reason that when you mention the word God no one seems to bother, but mention the word Jesus and feathers get ruffled all over the place. Maybe Jesus makes us uncomfortable because he can see right through is. However, we will not find grace and freedom in denial, but in the acceptance that we cannot fully trust ourselves. The only person can really trust and desperately need is Jesus.

02 John - Making a Truth Map

2007-02-19T10:35:00.000-08:00

By Richard

When Jesus cleaned out the temple courtyard of people who were making a mockery of faith by turn sacred courtyards into market places for personal gain he tells them that his authority is this. If you pull down this temple I can rebuild it in 3 days. They laugh! The disciples may have even laughed too. But we read that, “Later, after he was raised from the dead, the disciples remembered all that he had said this. They put two and two together and believed both the Scripture and what Jesus had said.” (John 2: 22, The Message)

Reading this reminded me of a time when I was a boy scout. We used to use the distance between 2 points and angles to estimate the distance to a third point and thus make simple but fairly accurate maps. Faith is like that. We use a convergence of evidence to build up a picture – a map of truth. Some of the convergent disciplines that we have include the following: history, archaeology, prophecy, reason, experience etc. Together these points help us build up a map of Jesus.

02 John - The Wedding of Cana

2007-02-18T10:30:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In John 2, Jesus’ first miracle was to make somewhere in the region of 150 gallons of top quality wine. Wedding’s back then went on for a few days, and the tell tale comments about the wine running out and saving the best until last suggest that they were already on the happy side of things when Jesus came a long. The story asks some questions of our theology of celebration. Jesus was glorified as he helped an already well toasted wedding party keep on toasting the bride and the groom.

There’s also something else going on here! Jesus is clearly no showman. There’s a hesitancy to perform his first miracle. The miracle seems to be performed somewhat secretly. It seems that only his disciples and a few servants know what’s going on. When the best man tastes the wine and cries out, “You’ve saved the best until now!” Jesus does not step in and stop the bridegroom getting the credit.

Maybe our picture of Jesus is some flashy miracle worker. Yes, Jesus performed miracles but he does so quietly. God does not manipulate the crowds into following him, but quietly and gently reveals his glory. He calls us to respond with love and does not twist our arms with dazzling power or flirt with us by flashing around his glory.

01 John - Under the Fig Tree

2007-02-17T10:26:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In John 1:35-51 we have this interesting knock on effect. People find Jesus and then the first thing that they do is to go off and find someone else and introduce them to Jesus too. One of them is Philip, who goes to find his brother Nathanael. Philip tells Nathanael, “I’ve found the Messiah. The one spoken of from of old and it’s Jesus. Joseph’s son from Nazareth.” Nathanael’s reaction is predictable. “Nazareth….You’ve got to be kidding, right?”

When Nathanael eventually meets Jesus, Jesus tells him, “One day long before Philip called you here I saw you under the fig tree” (John 1: 48, The Message).

The Message version is interesting because it gives a longer time frame to Jesus having seen Nathanael under the fig tree. In the NIV it’s simply a, “I saw you under the fig tree when Philip called you”. The longer time frame got me imagining what might have gone on.

Perhaps, one day, under the fig tree Nathanael had prayed (as many do), “God if you are there show yourself to me”. Then I thought how many people are out there in Madrid praying the same prayer. I started praying for more “Philips” to go find these people and lead them to Jesus.

01 John - The Greatness of Jesus

2007-02-16T10:30:00.000-08:00

By Richard

People came to John the Baptist to ask is he was the Messiah. Instead he pointed out that Jesus was so much greater. “I’m not even worthy to hold his coat,” he replied.

Question: Do our lives point to the greatness of Jesus?

01 John - Our Task

2007-02-16T08:25:00.000-08:00

By Richard

John the Baptist told the crowds that his task was, “To get Israel ready to recognise [Jesus]” (John 1:30, the Message). In a way this is the task of Christ’s followers on earth. We are supposed to be busy getting people ready to recognise Jesus.

Question: What are we doing to help people recognise Jesus in our actions and words?

01 John - Just the Basics

2007-02-15T08:30:00.001-08:00

By Richard

John reminds us that, “We got the basics from Moses, and then this exuberant giving and receiving. This endless knowing and understanding – all this came through Jesus the Messiah.”

We cannot help but miss the centrality of Jesus in John words. To a Jew it would have been quite a thing to say that Moses was “just the basics”. I’m not sure how we can describe it in a way that makes sense to us. Here are some ideas...

- The Old Testament is just the recipe – Jesus is the cake.
- The Old Testament is the prologue – Jesus is the story
- The Old Testament is the opening credits – Jesus is the film

We must capture the centrality of Jesus.

Related to this is the idea of God being invisible and unseen but that Jesus has made God, “plain as day”. If we want to know what God is like look at Jesus. Jesus is God clothed in humanity.

May we see Jesus more and more in 2007

01 John - Always Ahead

2007-02-15T08:30:00.000-08:00

By Richard

John the Baptist tells us the crowd that Jesus is much greater. He has “always been ahead!” I hope this coming year we will catch a glimpse of the greatness of Christ. I think that if we are honest we do find ourselves from time to time charging ahead. We need to pull back and allow Jesus to move ahead of us. We have to allow Jesus to take the lead in our lives and in Mountainview?

01 John - Lack of Recognition

2007-02-14T10:30:00.001-08:00

By Richard

We are told in John 1 that the world did not recognise Jesus even though it was made by him. If we are honest nothing much has changed. Very few of my friends in Europe “recognise” Jesus. But then I think that God wants his followers to live as lights for him as we recognise Jesus and incorporate him into our lives (or maybe incorporate our life into His). God wants to mix our humanity with his holiness so that Jesus maybe glorified and recognised through us. Will we, in 2007, set a goal to glorify Jesus through our lives?

01 John - Readiness

2007-02-14T10:30:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In John 1: 2 we read that Jesus had a readiness to fulfil God’s purposes from the beginning. I asked myself a simple question. Do I have a readiness for God? Ready at all times to do his will?

23 Luke - Alert

2007-02-13T10:30:00.000-08:00

By Richard

We read in Luke 23 that Joseph of Arimathea lived in an, “Alert expectation of the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 23: 52, the Message). These are perhaps more profound words than we imagine. These words describe a true believer whose life is characterised by an ongoing expectation of God; a person where the invisible becomes more important than the visible and where the realities of God outweigh the realities of this life. Someone in whom everything finds its direction and meaning in God.

May we lead lives of alert expectation of the Kingdom of God!

22 Luke - Our need of Jesus

2007-02-12T10:30:00.000-08:00

By Richard

The death of Christ provides an interesting reflection on the human condition. We find the religious leaders deliberately lying about Jesus. The ones that we’re meant to be the most pure were found to be impure. They were not simply good enough to stop the crucifixion. Then there’s Pilate, the most powerful man in Judea, even though convinced that Jesus is innocent he’s still unable to stop the crucifixion. He’s simply not powerful enough to stop the death of Jesus. Then there are the disciples. Three years of friendship with Jesus and yet they’ve run off and abandoned the master that they claimed to love so much. Then there’s Jesus, in great pain, weak and in shock from the loss of blood. Greatly humiliated yet continuing to pour love and forgiveness on his enemies.

We’ll never understand the full impact of the cross until we are able to see that we lack goodness and power and love. Quite simply we haven’t got what it takes on our own accord. We need the goodness of Christ. We need his power to fill us. We need his love to flow through us. The cross reminds me that it’s Jesus all the way.

22 Luke - Guilty!

2007-02-11T11:53:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In Luke 22: 66-71, Jesus is brought before the religious leaders. They seek to trap Jesus but he carefully avoids answering their questions. At the end of the day they condemn him to death without a fair trial. They did not provide an adequate testimony from witnesses and even proved the inadequacy of their trial when they closed with the words, “We’ve heard him as good as say it himself”. They tell us that they are condemning him with proving beyond reasonable doubt that he is guilty.

In many ways the guilt of the Pharisees increases. They are the ones charged by God to ensure that people get a fair trial. Even in silence Jesus declares them guilty. Even in silence he declares us guilty. Now, we can either return like Peter and pray for forgiveness or like the Pharisees we can unreasonably demand his death.

22 Luke - Strengthened:

2007-02-10T11:51:00.000-08:00

By Richard

Jesus tells the disciples that they will be, “Strengthened as [they] take up the responsibilities among the congregations of God’s people.” (Luke 22:30, the Message)

Looking into 2007 and the challenges and emotional energy required for church planting it was great to be reminded that Jesus has a special work of strengthening those who lead his church. As a leader of Mountainview above all I pray to be strengthened as a light for Christ, among his people and in this dark world.

22 Luke - The Right Order

2007-02-09T10:30:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In Luke 22 Jesus tells Peter and John to go and prepare the Passover meal. They were to enter Jerusalem, look for a man carrying a jar of water, follow the man to a house, knock on the door and ask the owner of the house about the guest room where they could prepare the Passover and he would show them a spacious second-storey room, swept and ready. They were to prepare the meal there! We read that, “They left and found everything just as he [Jesus] told them, and [then they] prepared the Passover meal.” (Luke 22:13, the Message)

Notice the order. They went, they found and then they responded. So often we need “proof” before we’ll put our first foot forward. But often it’s the other way around with faith. We’ll never find faith it until we start walking in it. Then having found everything to be “just as he told us” the question is how will we respond? Will we do what Peter and John did? They prepared to receive Jesus?

21 Luke - Stay Sharp

2007-02-08T10:30:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In Luke 21 we have these profound words of Jesus. “Don’t let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping.” (Luke 21: 34, the Message).

Jesus gives us a summary of the future in Luke 21 so that our expectations of his return will remain sharp. How sad it is that much of Western Christianity has been blunted by “parties and drinking and shopping”. I am not immune either. I am only too aware of how the trappings of consumerism muddy my feet and stop me from running wild in my love for Jesus. We need to work hard on ensuring that we stay sharp and alert for the return of Jesus.

21 Luke - Stay with it

2007-02-07T10:15:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In Luke 21 Jesus warns his disciples about persecution. They should remind steadfast until the end because, “Every detail of your body and soul—even the hairs of your head!—is in my care; nothing of you will be lost. Staying with it—that's what is required. Stay with it to the end. You won't be sorry; you'll be saved.” (Luke 21 17-19, the Message).

I find it amazing how we’ve lost this future sense to the mission of Jesus. Most believers that I meet live solely for this life and have little sense for the next life. Perhaps the issue is that we feel that heaven is such a new start that we might as well worry about it when we get there. But Jesus’ words, meant to comfort us in persecution confront us in consumerism. Jesus is telling us that our ongoing response to him in this life determines our rewards in the future. It’s on earth that we win or loose. If we live for Jesus we will gain much. If we live for self we will loose everything. We need to start living for Jesus today.

20 Luke - Leadership is Service

2007-02-06T02:55:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In Luke 20:45 Jesus warns the disciples to be on high alert for leaders that are self-serving. Leaders that are self-serving destroy the witness of the church, hurt the weak and live under a judgement, not a blessing.

How badly do we need this kind of leadership? All I could say as I read this and looked at my own attitudes that are so often self serving was this. “Help me Jesus to serve You and others, not counting the cost or keeping a score, but considering all the sacrifices to be made a pure joy.”

20 Luke - Brokeness

2007-02-05T03:11:00.000-08:00

by Richard

In John 20: 18, Jesus describes himself as a stone; a stone that if we fall on it, “Will break every bone in our body” but that, “If the stone falls on anyone, it will be a total smash-up.”

Maybe one of the reasons that Jesus is so hated…despite his wonderful teaching and loving life…is that he does leave us in a neutral position. He offers us two choices; to break us down or to smash us up. Brokenness is a process of grace by which our pride is replaced by the glory of Christ. Smash-up is a terrible judgement. I know what I’m choosing!

19 Luke - God’s Personal Visit

2007-02-04T13:09:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In Luke 19: 28-44, Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. His disciples celebrate but the Pharisees are furious. “Tell them to be quiet!” they say to Jesus. But Jesus replies that if they were to shut up the very stones would cry out in praise. He goes onto say that judgement is coming to Israel because they missed the arrival of God. God was riding into Jerusalem on a donkey and all they could do was complain. “Not one stone will be left intact” said Jesus, “Because you did not recognise and welcome God’s personal visit.”

Maybe we don’t like the idea of God’s judgement. But looking at it from another angle perhaps we should have expected the universe to end when they crucified God. But in grace God lets the world go on after the ultimate rejection of himself. But the words contain a warning for us, and not just the Jews. God has visited our world and walked our dusty roads. If we do not recognise him and welcome him into our lives we will be judged when the universe is ended and not one atom is left intact.

19 Luke - Investment

2007-02-03T10:37:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In Luke 19 we have another version of Jesus’ parable regarding making wise investments in our lives.

A prince needs to make a long trip to certify in another country that he is indeed of royal status. So he leaves 10 servants with a large sum of money and asks them to look after things while he is away. We find out that while he is gone the citizens of the country (not the servants) decide that they don’t want the prince back. But come back the prince does.

The first thing that he does is to call his servants in and get a report. The servants who report that they've managed to bring about a growth in their masters investments are greatly rewarded and given much honour. The servants who through fear have done nothing while the master was away are stripped bare. The citizens of the country who did not want the prince are told to clear off.

The parable has power because it is a story of where we are at right now. Jesus has returned to heaven and will one day return to declare himself the only king of the universe. Amazingly, he’s left his followers in charge of his affairs. The locals are generally hostile to the idea of Christ’s rule. (Many so hostile they that they commit the ultimate sin of claiming that he doesn’t even exist). But whatever people think, and say, one day Jesus is going to come back and establish his rule.

The first to be judged will be his followers. Those followers who have invested their lives for Jesus’ sake will be greatly rewarded and honoured in heaven. Those who have failed through fear or selfish motives will still be saved, but they will be stripped bare. They will enter heaven un-rewarded and un-honoured. Then those who never wanted the prince will come before Jesus and be told, “Your wish is my command, now clear off !”

Jesus calls us to be wise because he is (FACT) going to come back and one of three things will happen us. We’ll either be...loaded, losers or lost. AND Jesus wants us to be loaded.

19 Luke - The Treasure Hunters

2007-02-02T02:01:00.000-08:00

By Richard Wallace

Zacchaeus, perhaps the most hated man in the town of Jericho gets a big surprise. In Luke 19 he climbs a tree so that he can get a good look at Jesus (we’re told that he’s physically short and his social status does not leave the crowds itching to part like the Red Sea and give him the front seat). However, of all things, it’s by his tree that Jesus stops, looks up and says, “Zacchaeus hurry down [because] today is my day to be a guest in your home.” (Luke 19:5, the Message).

We find out an amazing reversal takes place. Zacchaeus, once greedy to the core, announces that from now on, “I give away half my income to the poor”. Once a local cheat announces that to those who I have cheated, “I’ll pay four times the damages” (19:8 TM). Jesus cries out, “Today is salvation in this home…the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost” (18: 9, 10 TM)

The words find and restore remind me of treasure hunters who go to great lengths and spare little expense to find priceless works of antiguity. Then over many months they slowly and gently restore these works to their former beauty.

The Great Commission sends us into the world to find the lost and make disciples. Christ is calling us to be like treasure hunters who go to great lengths to find the priceless lost (and we might be surprised by who they are in our community). And then to ever so gently help restore them through a transforming relationship with Christ into priceless works that reflect the glory of Jesus.

Will you be a treasure hunter today?

18 Luke - What Are You Holding Onto?

2007-02-01T02:20:00.000-08:00

By Richard

I once saw a movie about a Kalahari Bushman catching a baboon. The trap was simple. In plain sight of a baboon he dug a small baboon-hand-sized hole in an ant hill. He dropped some seeds into the hole and withdrew. The inquisitive baboon could not help but put his hand into the hole and grab those seeds. However having grabbed those seeds his rounded fist was too big to pull out through the hole. The baboon simply would not let go and so the Busman was able to casually wander up and tie him up.

In Luke 18: 18-30, The rich official asks Jesus what he needed to do in order to enter eternal life. Jesus said “Keep the Commands”. “I’ve kept them all,” he replies. “Well,” said Jesus, “Let go of the one thing you are holding onto, your wealth!” We find out that the man was very wealthy and unable to let go he sadly left.

The question we must ask is this. What are we holding onto so tightly that it keeps us trapped and unable to follow Jesus? Many of us, like the rich man, are holding onto material things so tightly that like the baboon we’re trapped.

Jesus reminds the crowds that although all are trapped God is able to work a miracle. The miracle is not that he can pull our seed filled hands through a small hole but that he is able to help let go of our tight grasp on life and by so doing experience a full and free life, enjoying the expansive blessings of God.

What are you holding onto today? Will you let go and trusting God experience freedom?

18 Luke - Simplicity

2007-01-31T02:03:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In Luke 18: 5-12 people try to get Jesus to touch their babies. The disciples try and shoo them off. I love Jesus words. “Let these children alone. Don’t get between them and me. These children are the kingdom’s pride and joy. Mark this [in other words take note]: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in!”

I think that Jesus not only let’s us know of God’s huge love for children (I’m so glad that we give children such a priority at Mountainview) but it also reminds us that there’s something profoundly simple about the Christian message; something that we can all too easily miss in all the complexities of adulthood. There’s a huge need to practice simplicity of faith and deed in our personal lives and churches.

18 Luke - Viewpoint

2007-01-30T02:01:00.000-08:00

By Richard

Jesus’ story of the Pharisee and the Tax Man is found in Luke 18: 9-14. The Pharisee looked down on others and thought to himself, “Thank goodness I’m not like a sinner or even, God forbid, a taxman!” The taxman, on the other hand, humbled by his sins looked up to God and said, “Please forgive me!”

Jesus reminds us that it’s the taxman that leaves right with God.

The danger of pride is that we look down on others. The blessings of humility are that we tend to look up to God. Both men were in an equal position before God. The only difference was the viewpoint they had about themselves, for it affected the direction they were looking.

Let us humbly look up to God.

18 Luke - Persistence

2007-01-29T01:59:00.000-08:00

By Richard

When I read Luke 18, I was just about to start preaching an Advent series at Mountainview. The first message was entitled, Jesus is Coming, and looks at the prophets. There are over 300 OT prophecies about the first Advent of Jesus and over 500 concerning his second Advent. One of the points that we made was that the prophecies for the first Advent help us believe whereas the prophecies for the second Advent help us prepare and persevere.

It was comforting to read the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8) who badgers a mean judge until she gets the justice that she needs. Jesus uses the story to remind his followers to persist in prayer. If a mean judge will change his mind how much more will our Father in heaven, who love us greatly, give attention to our prayers and answer them. Jesus closes the section with this challenge, "How much…persistent faith will the Son of Man [Jesus] find on earth when he returns?”

The challenge is this. Jesus is coming back (to get us in death or to end the world – whichever comes sooner). He wants us to persist in prayer. He wants us to persist in doing good. He wants us to persist in loving and serving him. He wants us, even though he’s invisible, to persist in our faith so that when he returns to the earth he will find us ready.

17 Luke - The Arrival of the King

2007-01-28T10:55:00.000-08:00

By Richard

Jesus said to the disciples that, “The arrival of the Son of Man is not something you go out to see. He simply comes.” (Luke 17:23, the Message)

Jesus emphasis to the disciples is that they should not get discouraged by the dark days ahead or distracted by the deceitful claims of the arrival of the Messiah. For when Jesus returns it will be sudden and total. There will be no doubt for anyone that it is the end of the world.

But if we read on Jesus tells us how to prepare. “If you cling to life on your own terms you’ll loose it, but if you let life go, you’ll get life on God’s terms.” In a sense we’re all hanging over a cliff. Jesus is saying, strange as it may seem if hang on you’ll die (the hanging on itself won’t kill us but we’re hanging onto a cliff that will eventually fall down and we will be destroyed), but if let go I’ll catch you on the way down and you’ll be saved and live.

17 Luke - Lower Your Expectations

2007-01-27T23:40:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In Luke 17: 10-12 Jesus asks the disciples to lower their expectations. They were not to think about what they deserve but rather to have hearts that were willing to serve Jesus tirelessly; to serve Jesus with an attitude of, “I’m just doing my job!” Jesus asks us to be “matter of fact” about the commitments he asks us to make.

This is a challenge for me, for all of us I guess, as we so often think about what’s in it for us. Honestly, I tend to swing (if something can swing 3 ways) between pride for my achievements, bitter thoughts when my hard work goes unnoticed and grumpiness when I’ve worked hard and am feeling tired.

My prayer is that I will learn to serve Jesus more “matter of fact” and know that at the end of the day it is not for me or the approval of others that I am working, but for Jesus, the extension of his Kingdom and his “well done” when we eventually meet at the end of time.

17 Luke - More Faith

2007-01-26T23:47:00.000-08:00

By Richard

We read that the Apostles came to Jesus and said, “Give us more faith!” (Luke 17:5). Jesus replied, “You don’t need more faith. There is no “more” or “less” in faith. If you have a bare kernel of faith, say the size of a poppy seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, ‘Go jump in the lake,’ and it would do it.” (Luke 17: 6, the Message).

These might appear slightly confusing words, but I think that this is what Jesus is saying. The issue with faith is not having more of it…but using it. We need to start using faith. It’s also not a mind over matter thing. Faith is really a growing understanding that the invisible God is more real than the very air we breathe. It is living in a way that demonstrates the spiritual realities beyond the horizon are more real than the material things that we can grasp and touch. Will we open our eyes to see the unseen God and our ears to hear the whisper of his voice in our heart. Will we put our hand into the strongest, yet most gentle hand, in all eternity and say to Christ start leading me. Will we start practicing faith today?

16 Luke - Don’t Miss Jesus

2007-01-25T08:05:00.000-08:00

By Richard

During Advent last December I was reading though the Gospels for the second time, I read the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, in Luke 16. The rich man ignores Lazarus, the beggar at his gate. They both die and the rich man ends up in hell and the poor man ends up next to Abraham in heaven (on his lap actually, but for some of us the idea of ending up on another man’s lap is not our idea of heaven). The rich man wants a drink and asks Abraham to send Lazarus over to hell with some water. Abraham tells him, “No can do!” So the rich man asks Abraham to at least warn his family back on earth. To which Abraham replies, “They have the law and the prophets to warn them!” The rich man ends up pleading, “Please can you send someone back from the dead – and then they’ll really believe”.

We read, Abraham replied, “If they won’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, they’re not going to be convinced by someone who rises from the dead!” (Luke 16: 31)

As I read the parable I had a couple of thoughts about how it related to Advent.

Firstly, Jesus told this story to the religious leader’s just after he told the religious leaders that they were faking it by making themselves look good on the outside. Not a popular thing to do! I don’t know what you think, but I think that the parable is more than just a story about looking after the poor. I think that Jesus is setting up things to shortly prove that religious leaders did not take Moses and the prophets as seriously as they publicly claimed. Not long after in Jesus ministry (we find the story in John 11), another Lazarus does come back from the dead after 4 days in the tomb. While we’re told that this becomes a turning point of belief for many Jews, many of the religious leaders got together and said to each other, “This guy Jesus is getting too good and if we don’t want to loose our job we’re going to have to kill him.” They were masters of religion, but their own ego had blinded them to the truths of Scripture. They missed the most important thing ever to happen on earth – the coming of Jesus.

Now I don’t want you to miss the coming of Jesus and maybe a good question to ask at this point is this. Do we believe the story of God in the bible? If we don’t, we need to be honest about what is getting in the way? Is it sincere doubts? Is it ignorance? Is it pride? Is it some untruths that we’ve brought into? Is it lack of interest? And, what can we do as a church to help you believe?

Secondly, I think the story of the rich man and Lazarus reminds us of how foundational our belief in the bible really is. The story suggests that the trustworthiness of scripture is a greater basis for faith than witnessing a man rise from the dead. It’s like building a building. Build a small building and we only need a small foundation. Build a huge office block and you need much bigger foundations. If our belief in the bible is minimal we’re not going to be able to build much of a Christian faith. If our belief in the bible is bigger we can build a bigger faith.

My prayer is that that through this blog we are going to end up more confident in the truth of Christ’s reality and by so doing closer to Jesus himself

16 Luke - Behind Appearances

2007-01-24T08:03:00.000-08:00

Bt Richard

The Pharisees, blinded by their money could not accept Jesus’ warnings about serving God rather than money. So Jesus goes on to warn them, warn us, that we are, “Masters at making [ourselves] look good in front of others, but God [knows] what’s behind the appearance. What society sees and calls monumental God sees through and calls monstrous.” (Parts Luke 16: 14-18, the Message).

What a warning, if ever there was one, to work on the part that God sees and not the part that people see.

16 Luke - Making the Best out of Every Situation

2007-01-23T07:45:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In Luke 16:1-9 we have one of those parables that Jesus told that is hard to understand. A manager gets fired for his mismanagement of finances and so reasoning that he’s done for he uses his last hours at work to make a few friends. He calls people into his office that owe the master money and tells them to take out their balance sheets and half their debts. When the master finds out he actually praises the manager for his shrewd dealings.

Jesus tells us that he wants us to be like the manager. He doesn’t want us to “complacently get by on good behaviour”, but, using every good means possible, he wants us to engage in life and to allow adversity to stimulate our highest creativity. Jesus wants us to, “live, really live!”

In a sense really living is figuring out how to make the best out of every situation

15 Luke - The Joy of Found-ness

2007-01-22T07:42:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In Luke 15 we have 3 well-known parables of lost-ness. A lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son. This is the only time that 3 parables on the same subject appear sequentially in the Gospel (so it must be important as repetition was the literary means of emphasis in ancient times). The stories also grow in the level of loss experienced. 1% of a farmer’s livelihood! 10% of a widow’s pension! Finally, a Landowner looses 50% of his wealth and 50% of his sons!

By focusing on the lost side of the parable we might miss something important. In the context the Pharisees are complaining that Jesus is, “Eating meals with sinners and treating them like old friends.” (Paraphrase, Luke 5: 3). Jesus goes on to tell the stories about lost-ness and each ends with an emphasis on celebration and the joy when sinners come back to God. He ends off the 3 parables by reminding the Pharisees of their hard and cold hearts and their lack of joy over repentant sinners.

So perhaps rather than about lost-ness the emphasis Jesus is making is on the joy that comes from “found-ness”.

14 Luke - The Cost

2007-01-21T12:42:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In Luke 14: 25-34, Jesus does not want us to be under any illusions, following him is very costly. He’s asking us to put him a clear first above family, possessions and the big one, ourselves. He recommends that we figure out that we’ve got what it takes to follow him before we even start. He’s ultimately looking for people that so closely follow him that they become like Jesus in the world. “The salt of the earth [and so] bring the flavour of Jesus to the world”.

My suspicion, from personal experience, is that many of us have not set the bar high enough. How often have I been a half-hearted follower of Jesus! Jesus wants our greatest commitment. Will we take the time to figure out the true cost and then, if we’re willing to pray the price, follow Jesus before family, friends, possessions and even ourselves? Follow him fully and start bringing the flavour of Jesus to the world.

14 Luke - Be A Blessing

2007-01-20T12:40:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In Luke 14: 12-14 Jesus says that God wants us to bless others without expecting anything in return. Indeed God wants us, like heat seeking missiles, to look for and target the blessing of people who cannot repay the favour. The promise is that when we bless unconditionally, “The favour will be returned, - oh how it will be returned at the resurrection of God’s people” (Luke 14:14, The Message)

14 Luke - A Great Challenge

2007-01-19T01:38:00.000-08:00

Jesus said, “If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face. But if you’re content to simply be yourself, you will become more than yourself.” (Luke 14: 11, the Message)

13 Luke - A Party Of Friends

2007-01-18T04:44:00.000-08:00

By Richard

Jesus is asked in Luke 13: 26-27 about how many people will be saved. He goes on to tell them that it’s, “None of [their] business”. Our task is not to play around with theological questions but to focus our attention and energy on God.

Jesus goes onto tell the Parable of the Banquet. Many people will find themselves outside the Kingdom of Heaven (the Banquet) and will say, “How’s this possible God? We’ve known you all of our lives!” And we read that God will respond. “Your kind of knowing can hardly be called knowing…You don’t know the first thing about me!” (Luke 13: 27, the Message)

God’s words might be strong, but how true they are. God’s not building a kingdom full of people with a casual acknowledgement of his reality. He wants his party to be filled with friends; friends who love and care about him (and how many of us would want our party to be filled with people who don’t give a rip about us?). He will fill his kingdom with people who have shown a desire to focus all of their energies and attentions on him! He will fill his Kingdom with friends.

13 Luke - Debugging Faith

2007-01-17T03:29:00.000-08:00

By Richard

Jesus heals on a Sabbath and the ruler of the Synagogue is literally seething. “Come on one other six days designated for work,” he said, “But not on the Sabbath.” We read that Jesus, “Shot back. ‘You frauds! Each Sabbath every one of you regularly unties your cow or donkey from its stall, leads it out for water, and thinks nothing of it. So why isn’t it all right for me to untie this daughter of Abraham and lead her from the stall where Satan has had her tied for these 18 years?’” (Luke 13: 15, 16, the Message)

I wan’t to focus in on the line “You frauds”. If we’re honest every one of us has, at some level, fraudulent behaviour. One of the challenges of the Gospels is that Jesus tends to expose our double standards. Indeed this tendency of Christ to “expose” us is actually one of the reasons that I believe so many people claim that the Christian faith is untrue. You see, we’re not talking about some feel-good-yoga of the safety of rule-based-religion, but we're talking about a call to take an honest look inside ourselves and become people of integrity. We’re called to debug faith of fraudulent behaviour and friends that’s a challenge that we must either embrace of hate.

13 Luke - The Apple Tree

2007-01-16T08:04:00.000-08:00

By Richard

Adding to yesterday’s blog. Jesus tells us a story about an apple tree. The tree would not produce any fruit. The owner suggests that it be cut down. So the gardener pleads for clemency, “Give it another year. I’ll dig around it and fertilize it; maybe it will produce next year, if it doesn’t, then chop it down.” (Luke 13: 8-9, the Message)

This reminds us of God’s efforts to save us – but notice it does not negate the warning of destruction. At the end of the day we will either be saved by God or destroyed by self. God is doing all he can to save us. God is hoping we will produce spiritual fruit. God is helping us produce spiritual fruit. The clock is ticking and time is running out. The next move is ours. How will we respond? A bud , a flower and a fruit, or fruitless apathy to the most important fact of life?

13 Luke - Downhill Slide

2007-01-15T07:52:00.000-08:00

By Richard

Jesus in very clear in Luke 13, and we cannot ignore it, mankind is in a perilous position and that, “Unless [we] turn to God [we] will die.” (Luke 13: 1-5, the Message). The phrase is actually repeated twice by Jesus, which indicates emphasis.

I’m not sure if we are helping much when we try and ignore these strong words of Jesus. They remind us that we need a Saviour and that the world badly needs one too. Jesus is more than a nice role model to be followed. The world is sliding downhill fast, like a runaway sled on a steep snow covered hill. Jesus is offering us a chance to be rescued before we hit the wall at the bottom. Pretending that there is no wall does not make it go away. Let us heed the words of Jesus, the one who John says is the only one to have come from the very presence of God, and I believe the only one who really knows what he’s talking about.

12 Luke - Common Sense

2007-01-14T23:13:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In Luke 12: 54-59 Jesus reminds the crowds that they have a wonderful skill – they can predict the weather simply by the direction of the wind. He calls them to develop skills when it comes to understanding the things of God. So will we take time developing skills in understanding and applying faith or will we continue to sit, like a couch potato, watching the weather on TV?

12 Luke - The Fire

2007-01-13T02:31:00.000-08:00

By Richard

Maybe we are giving misinformation if we sell the Christian faith as a, “come to Jesus and everything will be OK!” kind of belief. Indeed one of the reasons I believe the Gospels are so true is that they do not come across like a party manifesto. In Luke 12: 49-53 Jesus is seriously not “selling” a call to come and follow him. He says, “I have come to start a fire on this earth…I’ve come to change everything, turn everything rightside up…I’ve come to confront and disrupt.” (the Message).

Following Jesus challenges our status quo. It calls for a radical reversal in our lives from self-centeredness to God centeredness. If we follow Jesus it will capsize us and upset others. Maybe we’ll even get ourselves “hung”. But we must not fear the fire for it is the power of God’s love offering us freedom from a dark and sickly attachment to self.

12 Luke - Generosity

2007-01-12T01:38:00.000-08:00

By Richard

Generosity is clearly a biblical antidote to materialism. In Luke 12: 33-34 Jesus says his followers should, “Be generous. Give to the poor” (the Message). I like this, but I’m sometimes still left wondering who the poor are that God wants me to give to. I do want my giving to be helpful and I want to be generous and God lead in my giving. Guess I’d better pray.

12 Luke - The Problem with Consumerism

2007-01-11T02:12:00.000-08:00

By Richard

The problem with consumerism is described fully in Luke 12: 22-34. A fixation on food and looks and material possessions takes our focus off God. We miss the greatest treasure of all, a loving Father in heaven who wants to look after us. God calls us to put all of our trusts in Him and enjoy all the benefits of a loving friendship with the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. When we do so all the worries and concerns of life will take their right perspective before God and we will be in a position to really live.

12 Luke - Primary Focus

2007-01-10T02:10:00.000-08:00

By Richard

At the beginning of Luke 12 we read that the crowds attracted to Jesus, “Numbered in the thousands.” But, in the midst of this busy confusion we read that, “Jesus’ primary concern was for his disciples.” (Luke 12:1, the Message).

I find this quite a challenge because as a leader I’m often called too strongly by the attentions demanded of by the crowds and forget the quieter, but more important voice, of developing leaders. We need to focus on building into our leaders for only then, like Jesus, will be we have the chance to multiply ourselves manifold and change the world.

11 Luke - Opening a Door

2007-01-09T02:09:00.000-08:00

By Richard

You’re hopeless, you religion scholars! You took the key of knowledge, but instead of unlocking doors, you locked them. You won’t go in yourself, and won’t let anyone else in either. (Luke 11: 52, The Message)

Jesus calls for a huge challenge form leaders. Our job is to open up the ways of God, to lead the way by entering into them first and then to invite others to follow us in doing so. Apparently the Pharisees had locked the door to God. They had locked themselves out, and they were making it nigh impossible for others to come close to God.

We need to evaluate our desire to be Christ-like in our leadership and ask the tough question: Am I helping or hindering others from finding and growing in Christ? It’s a question that needs to be rigorously investigated and following this all necessary adjustments made.

11 Luke - Inside Out

2007-01-08T02:06:00.000-08:00

By Richard

In Luke 11: 37-41, an upset over the fact that Jesus didn’t wash his hands before the meal becomes a teaching moment for Jesus. He upsets the Pharisees even more by reminding them that while they spent inordinate amounts of time keeping the outside clean they were overlooking the most important – cleanliness of the heart. Following Christ comes down to the fact that it’s not the “show” but the “hidden” walk with God in the heart that is important.

God loves people in the Christmas Story

2006-12-24T03:29:00.000-08:00

I read a book about the 5 love-languages of children. We can basically communicate love to one another through:

Physical touch
Words of affirmation
Quality time
Gifts
Acts of service

We usually have one on the list that means more to us than the rest – called our love language!

When someone communicates love using our love language we feel it deep inside.

One of the Christmas names the bible uses to describe Jesus is, Immanuel, which means God with us. The incarnation is God becoming a man, so He could love us in a way that we could understand. Jesus touched people, he spoke words of affirmation, he spent large amounts of time with people, he gave people gifts and he humbly served people. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us; loving us in your love language and in my love language.

John, one of Jesus’ closest friends wrote this – we love because he [Jesus] first loved us. (1 John 4: 19). Our world needs people who are filled with enough love to have extra to give away. But, it’s difficult to love when we don’t feel loved ourselves. I pray we will find love, for ourselves, for our families and for Madrid, in the Christmas story.

God values people in the Christmas Story:

2006-12-23T10:40:00.000-08:00

When our children were born the first people to hear abut it were our parents and closest friends – the people we valued the most. The FIRST invitation to see the baby was to the shepherds; considered in those days to be the scum of society. About the same level as many ascribe to dustbin men. God invited the “least valued” to see the baby Jesus first, to show us He deeply values everybody. Are we looking for value this Christmas? We’ll find it in the Christmas story. Do we need help to value somebody more highly this Christmas? We’ll find the help we need in the Christmas story.

The Challenge of Christmas

2006-12-22T09:20:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I took the boys to see the recent Hollywood movie, The Nativity Story. Not only is it faithful to the Gospel account but it is a great reminder of the challenges of faith. Jesus is born amidst a tyrannical Roman rule and the deadly paranoia of King Herod. Mary and Joseph must overcome local suspicion and make a long journey down to Bethlehem. The Wise Men travel for countless months from Persia to get a glimpse of the new born king. Shepherds, hands calloused from a life in the field, must cross social stigmas to reach out and touch the pure baby. The Wise Men head south on a long detour rather than take the road back home towards the north, as that would take them through Jerusalem and a meeting with Herod. The Holy Family must flee at midnight from death squads and set up home in Egypt.

Following God is challenging and never straightforward (please no more of this, “Come to Jesus and everything will be OK!”). We must be like the men of faith in Hebrews 11 who could see beyond the challenges of today to a future meeting with Christ and their true home in heaven. May you find God’s strength in 2007 to play your part in the amazing challenge of bringing God’s light into a dark world?